April reflects all-time high in sales tax collection

Huron County Auditor Roland Tkach said he was apprehensive recently about the future of county sales tax collection.

The latest report, which reflected April sales, showed $943,184 in sales tax collected, which was up from $835,681 the year before.

The $943,184 was also an all-time high for that month.

Tkach said he was pleased with the new numbers and the current state of sales tax, but noted the sales tax world is in for a change beginning later this year.

“We’re doing quite well now, but we’re about to enter unchartered waters,” the auditor said. “I’m very cautious going forward.”

Starting in the fourth quarter of 2017, the county will begin to lose Medicaid managed care sales tax.

The Ohio Department of Taxation has estimated that Huron County will lose $728,640 in sales tax per year starting in 2018 and beyond.

In the April report, Mom-and-Pop stores accounted for 28 percent of the overall sales tax total, while big-box stores made up 24 percent. Vehicle sales were at 22 percent. Liquor sales were down 7.5 percent compared to the same month in 2016.

The auditor also released the July 31 casino fund report for Huron County.

The county received $174,622 in casino funds July 31 which is up from $167,706 on July 31, 2016.

“Casino funds have appeared to even out since the high point in 2014 and its inception in 2012,” said Tkach, who noted casino funds never replaced the loss of local government funds.

The county has received between $671,000 and $708,000 in casino funds per year since 2013.